


A Repeated Mistake

by wackyjacqs



Series: Bizarre Holidays [155]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode: s02e05 Need, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 09:45:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19082491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs
Summary: "Can I ask why you're here?""Can’t a colonel just check on his team every once in a while?""Ah, yes, sir. I guess he can," Sam answered in confusion. "But –""Daniel told me what he said."





	A Repeated Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ‘Repeat Day’ (3 June), a day to “seek out activities and experiences you love so much, that you want to do them over and over again”. 
> 
> I’ve flipped the holiday on its head for this chapter, and dealing with the aftermath of 'Need', when Jack, Sam and Teal'c were trapped in the mine, doing the same thing over and over again, while Daniel was swanning around.

_You've never really known what love is, have you?_

_Now, you see, the Daniel I know would never say that._

Sam resisted the urge to slam her fist down onto the worktop. Instead, she opened the refrigerator, lifted a bottle of wine and turned, swiping a glass from the shelf as she walked out of the kitchen.

She sighed as she settled onto the small couch in her front room. She knew she shouldn't be mad at Daniel for what he said; he hadn't been in his right mind when he’d said those words, but ever since he had come through his withdrawal, he had done nothing _but_ apologize for his comment.

Sam had insisted that everything was fine – she knew her friend hadn't meant what he said and that it hadn't annoyed her. Yet the fact that she was still festering over his claim two days later, said otherwise.

 _Maybe it's because you know he's right,_ the little voice in her head piped up.

Quickly dismissing the notion, Sam poured herself a large glass of wine. She had just taken her first sip when the doorbell rang.

"Sir!"

"Carter," he greeted, as he scratched the back of his neck.

He seemed apprehensive and Sam's mind kicked into overdrive as she thought of all the reasons as to why her commanding officer would be standing on her front porch, late at night.

"Is everything okay, colonel? Is there an emergency at the base or –"

"Hmm? Oh! No. I was just... in the neighborhood."

The lack of conviction behind his excuse had Sam looking bemused.

"Can I come in?"

She stepped aside but they both stood awkwardly in the hallway for a couple of seconds before Sam remembered she needed to move first – it was her home after all.

"Uh... come on in, sir," she said, leading him down the hall.

Stepping inside, she turned and caught her CO giving it a quick onceover and she realized this was the first time he had been in her house.

"Nice place you’ve got. Cosy," he added, as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

"Thank you, sir," she answered awkwardly. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Whatever you're having is good."

Sam smiled slightly imagining the expression on his face if she was to hand him a glass of red wine.

"I'll get you a beer. I was in the front room if you want to..." She trailed off, gesturing for him to go ahead.

When Sam entered the front room, the colonel swiveled on his heel and his slightly embarrassed expression didn't go unnoticed.

"Am I interrupting something, Carter?" He asked, gesturing vaguely to the opened bottle of wine.

Sam's eyes widened. _"No,"_ then realizing she sounded a little too keen to let him know she was alone, she tried again. "No, sir. I was just... No, you're not interrupting anything," she finished quietly, handing him his beer before reclaiming her spot on the couch.

"So," Jack said, picking at the label on his beer bottle as he settled on the armchair. "How you doing?"

"I’m fine, sir," Sam answered slowly. When he didn’t continue the conversation, she added, "Can I ask why you're here?"

"Can’t a colonel just check on his team every once in a while?"

"Ah, yes, sir. I guess he can," she answered in confusion. "But –"

"Daniel told me what he said."

"With all due respect, I –"

"Relax, Carter. I'm not here to give you a lecture. I just came by to make sure you were okay."

"Oh. Well… I'm fine, sir."

He didn’t say anything, instead, he let his gaze linger on her face before he slowly leaned forward and set his beer on the table.

"Bullshit."

"Sir?"

"You heard me."

"I don't –"

"Daniel was out of order."

"He wasn’t himself. He was –"

"– under the influence of a sarcophagus. Yada, yada," he finished. "It still doesn’t excuse his behavior."

Sam frowned at his sudden change in mood. "Colonel, does Daniel know you’re here?"

"No. No-one does," he added as an afterthought as he picked up his beer again.

"So, why are you here?"

"I told you already."

"Yes, sir, you did, but –"

"I don’t think you are fine."

Not knowing how to respond to his statement, Sam took a drink. "What makes you think I’m not fine?"

"I know you," he shrugged. "Better than you think I do."

For a reason she couldn’t explain, Sam bristled at his assumption and she spoke before she fully thought through the question. "And just what are you thinking, sir?”

His expression remained neutral as he rested his elbows on his knees. "I think you believe what Daniel said."

"That is _not_ true. I – I just – it’s not –"

"I don’t need to know if it’s true or not, Carter. Frankly, it’s none of my business," he said. "I just –"

He stared at his hands and when he spoke again, Sam could barely hear him. "I know what it’s like to say something when you’re… not exactly yourself, and when it affects your loved ones it’s… it hurts."

Bringing her knees to her chest, Sam suddenly felt vulnerable. The colonel had somehow struck at the heart of what had really been bugging her about Daniel’s comments.

"I just needed to know you were okay."

The question escaped her before she could stop it. "What if Daniel was right?"

At his blank expression, she added: "About me; that I’ve never known what love is."

"I don’t believe that."

"I thought I loved Jonas – and look how that turned out."

"Carter, with all due respect, there was nothing you could do to save the guy, but right up to his death, you still tried your best… why?"

"It’s our job, sir."

"No, not to save psychopaths, it’s not." At her silence, he continued, "It’s because you loved him."

"It’s twisted –"

"Love can take many different forms, Carter, and sometimes it can make us blind," he confessed. "But I’ve watched you with Cassie, and I’ve seen how Cassie is when she’s with you – she loves you. And despite what you might think right now, Daniel loves you too. Not to mention Teal’c; he’s such a teddy bear, and then there’s –"

His sudden reluctance to continue his sentence peaked Sam’s interest but before she could think about what he might have said, she noticed him watching her intently.

"Sometimes, what we learn about love is what we’re taught by the people who never really loved us,” he murmured, “but trust me when I say that you’re loved, Carter."

His eyes roamed over her face as silence filled the room.

Sam felt the lump in her throat at his words, and her voice wavered slightly when she spoke.

"Thank you, sir."

"Anytime, Carter."

**Author's Note:**

> I appreciate that this conversation is out-of-character for these two, particularly Jack. But when I watched this episode, there’s one stage when he seems genuinely concerned for Sam in the mine – moreso than his own health or Teal’c’s and I started wondering if this was around the time when he started to develop feelings for Sam… even if he didn’t realize it himself, yet.


End file.
